Second Revive I-5 weekend means lane and ramp closures in Seattle, May 12-13

Crews will replace more pavement, half of seven expansion joints

SEATTLE – Another weekend of Revive I-5 preservation work means more new pavement and expansion joints on northbound Interstate 5 between the West Seattle Bridge and downtown Seattle. It also means traffic delays for people who travel around the greater Seattle-Bellevue area.

Lane reductions will begin at 8 p.m. Friday, May 11, and clear the road by 5 a.m. Monday, May 14. Contractor crews working the Washington State Department of Transportation plan to complete weather-dependent work that was postponed due to rain at the end of April. They will:

Replace concrete near the West Seattle Bridge and underneath the I-90 interchange.

Pour about 270 concrete mixer truckloads, almost twice as much concrete as the first weekend.

Replace the left half of seven expansion joints between University and Mercer streets.

The work will require several ramp closures on northbound I-5, including:

Edgar Martinez Drive off-ramp

Seneca Street off-ramp

The ramp to the express lanes

Westbound I-90 on-ramp

Edgar Martinez Drive/eastbound I-90 on-ramp

Dearborn Street on-ramp

University Street on-ramp

Region-wide traffic effects

When the northbound interstate is reduced to two lanes, people who use I-5 need to plan for backups and long delays. Travelers should use I-405, I-90, and state routes 99, 509 and 599 as alternatives, although these highways also will see unusual slowdowns due to traffic diverting from I-5.

“Whenever we reduce lanes on I-5, we see the ripple effect and added congestion on other roads as people try to avoid the construction,” WSDOT Traffic Engineer Mike Swires said. “It will help if drivers use light rail, carpool or vanpool, travel early in the morning or later in the evening, or even put off unnecessary trips.”